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PRIUS mentioned in Top Gear article

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by alanclarkeau, Jan 19, 2018.

  1. Bill the Engineer

    Bill the Engineer Senior Member

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    The more I think about it, the more I think that Toyota needs two different cars in their line-up. A utilitarian form-follows-function technological tour-de-force called Prius, and a styling studio's dream with the full hybrid system called something else. They feed their loyal base with one car, and fish for new customers with the other. They forgot the lesson that many companies keep forgetting: One size doesn't fit all!
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    The Prius..., and the "B Ark". :)
     
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  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    This.

    I think the loyal Prius fans really prefer a more utilitarian model, more Corolla/Camry than 86 (or "XSE").

    Alternatively, just call the utilitarian one the Prius v :p.
     
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  4. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    True, I'm loving the technical expertise, the HUD, DRCC, it's a reasonably good drive, very economical, but if I had experience of a couple of PRIUS features before purchase, I may have gone elsewhere:
    1) the infotainment piece of glass with no tactile buttons, knobs etc - actually dangerous on the road;
    2) the phone won't let you select a number from your phone directory without coming to a stop - a pain, but absolutely stupid when your passenger has to get you to stop so they can make a call;
    3) the dumb location of the Cruise Control wand, hidden and rotating with the wheel - after 19 months of ownership, it's still easy to lose;
    4) 6 monthly services - first car I've owned in 16 years which didn't have annual servicing - I didn't notice the 6 months till I got a reminder at 5 months that the first service is nearly due - they're cheap, but basically take a day out of life twice as often as most other brands have gone;
    5) on longer trips, the seats don't live up to the initial hope that they'd be comfortable - they're really not that good.
     
    #24 alanclarkeau, Jan 22, 2018
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2018
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  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    They sort-of had that with LEXUS - Toyota sold the PRIUS, LEXUS had the CT200h - which was more form over function (small boot, but quieter et al).
     
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  6. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    We have gotten away from basic transportation here. We want our butts heated and cooled, our backs massaged, our ears to bask in music from as many as a dozen speakers, a ride like a luxury yacht.
    Get a grip, it's just a car, a way to get from point A to point B.
     
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  7. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    …not just a car! :confused: …it's a Prius! :eek::)
     
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  8. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Sorry to disagree, but with advancing years come a greater longing for more an better creature comforts. The more bells and whistles within my budget the better. :rolleyes:
     
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  9. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    Don't take me so seriously, I buy cars with all the bells and whistles too but it is still just a car to go from point A to point B. How you want to get there is up to you. When I was young I thought power windows were a joke until I had them and do you know what I liked them.
    The first morning I came to my local intersection and there was frost on the windows even though I scraped them and still couldn't see out of them I hit the button and rolled the window down and I could safely look for traffic. At that moment I knew I would always want power windows if for noting else but for safety. I have eight cars all mostly loaded.
     
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  10. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Me too - I remember reading, probably in Popular Mechanics or Popular Science - 5 yrs before I was old enough to drive - about Electronic Cruise Control - I knew I HAD TO have it. My second car, I installed a manual throttle which worked poorly except on long flat straights - dreaming about how I could put a vacuum servo to keep the speed constant, but could never find a speed sensor (for reasonable $$) to work it around. Sadly, it wasn't till about 30 yrs later that I had Cruise control - by which time I'd read about RADAR Cruise - which I knew I HAD TO have - which PRIUS has got [actually I think I first saw it in operation with Jeremy Clarkson driving a Merc S Class on a roundabout etc about 10 years ago].

    Car A/C, I had it in 1974 when, in Australia at least, it was fairly rare, but I wondered why it couldn't simply be made into Climate Control - should only take an extra sensor and an electronic module.

    One half of me hankers for an Autonomous car - would be great in heavy traffic. But the other ½ is craving for a good 6sp Manual sporty car - and some deserted mountain roads to drive it on.
     
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